Improvement in water-meters



f UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN PERGY, OF ALBANY, NEWYORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN WATER-METERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 37,588, dated February 3, 1863.

T0 all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, JOHN PERGY, of the city of Albany, and State of NewYork, have invented a new and Improved Water-Meter, or Machine for Registering Water or the Quan tity of Water that is Drawn or Passed T1 rough the Same; and I hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figure I represents a front elevation of the water-meter with a portion of the casing removed. Fig. 2 is a transverse section ofthe same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section. Fig. 4 is a plan in section. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of valve-box with valve. In all the tigures, similar letters denote the same parts of the apparatus.

My machine is constructed as follows A A is the outer wall or casing that surrounds the water-tight parts of the meter.

B, Fig. 3, is a horizontal partition extending across the meter, dividing itinto two parts, water-tight, and preventing the water from passing downward in any other way than through the cylinders F and G, whose open upper mouths are closely fitted into the partition.

C- is apeipendicular partition extending from the center of partition B up to the floor of a valve-chamber or square box, P, that contains the supply-valves. It divides the upper chamber of the meter into independent compartments, D and E. The cylinders F and G are provided with movable pistons H for F andJ for G. Each of these pistons is provided with a large discharge-valve opening upward, (formed as shown by the drawings.)

lis the valve in piston H, and Kin piston J. These pistons are attached to the ends of a walking beam or lever, L, which vibrates on -shaft Z, its hub tted into the partition G, and has forked ends e eff, Fig. 4, from which it is connected with the piston by rods MM, attached one on each side of the valve.

M is another walking beam or lever vibrating on shaft m, its hub also fitting into partition C, so that its hub and the hub of L may roll or rub on each other to form a tight joint. The outer edge of these hubs, as well as their sides, is fitted to rub as snugly as is consistent with free motion against the edge of the slot in C, through whichthey pass. Each end of M is connected with a valve in the piston by a rod, W, extending down between the forked ends ej' of lever L. The beam M is provided with two arms projecting upward, on the upper ends of which are valves N and 0, that present their faces toward openings n o,

which pass the water out from the valvechamber, l?. As these valves come incontact with the said openings they alternately check the valves I and K-that is to say, the valverod W, attached to beam M in its upward progress, is stayed by said contact until the piston J on beam L is raised upward and closes valve K in piston J, and the opposite end of beam L is depressed and opens valve I in piston H, and so ofthe oppositein reverse. This valvechamber P is a square box placed in the top of the meter, with side walls, ad', and end Walls, b b', extending from the back to the front plate of the meter, and from its top to a bottom plate lying on the top of partition (l, its back and front walls, a a closing the space between the end walls, leaving narrow chambers R and S between a/ c and the back and front walls of the meter. Against the inner faces of a a are placed rotating valves 'u o. These are disks (see Figs. 3 and 5) of metal, having openings triangularly shaped cut through themIeaving between them the metal of similar form and occupyinga little more surface than the openings do. They are ground or fitted to the inner faces of a a', against which they move, and which have similar openings to those of the valves, so that in one position the metal of the valves covers the openings, in another uncovers them, (the arrangement being like that commonly used for hot-air registers and ventilators.) The valves are fixed upon the common shaft T, running through their centers. They are adjusted in reference to each other, so that while the valve V closes the opening in a, 'v shall uncoverits opening in a. The valves being immovable upon the shaft T, and the flow of water being from the center outward the pressure on the one valve balances that of the other, so that a very slight power will operate them. The water that passes from the valve-chamber into chamber R has an exitpassage at n, that into chamber S at O, these passages being made through the walls b b. The valve-shaft T, Fig. 2, projects beyond the front wall, A, of the meter by a water-tight joint, and is made to carry a hanging doublejawed lever V, tiXed upon the shaft, each ot the jaws having at its lowest point a pin, 6 and 7, projecting from it. Catches or detents `l and 2, Fig. l, are pivoted to the front plate,

A, ot' the meter, arranged, as shown in the drawings, to catch t nd hold the lever U by its pins 6 and 7 whenever pressed to either side within their reach. Across-bar, 3, is secured to the outer end ofthe shat'tLFig. 3, which passes through a water-tight joint in the wall A of the meter, and has two tripping-rods, 4 and 5, one at each end, reaching upward and nearly to the catches l and 2, upon which they are to operate.

W is a spring firmly secured to the crossbar 3, or its shat't- F, so as to move by the vibration ot'the beam L. The spril'ig reaches up so as to operate with the pins and detent, as hereinafter described. In addition to this, to the outer end of the shaft Z there is attached an escapement-movement consisting ot' an anchor-lever, X and toothed wheel Y, whose object is, by the vibration ot' lever L, to operate a connecting train ot` wheel-work, Z, with dials to register the amount of' water passing through the machine. Between the cylinders F G isa chamber or reservoir, 10, into which the lower part of the cylinders open by valves 8 and 9, whence it passes out through the stopcock l1 for use.

The operation of the machine is thus; In the position shown in the drawings it is at a stand, the cock 8 being shut. The reservoir l0, cylinder G, and chamber E, chamber S, valve chamber l? are t'nll of water, and the valve V opens, the supply ot water being open to the machine through pipes Q. Themoment the cock S is opened the pressure of water through valve V presses down the piston J, its valve K being closed till it reaches near the bottom of the cylinder, the water underneath it escaping bythe valve 9. In the meanwhile the piston H, with its open valve I, ascends pari passa with K until the valve N closes the opening a ot1 the compartment R. At the same timethe cross-bar 3, by themovement ot' Ashaft l of beam Il, haslifted rod 4, so that at the instant valve N closes u the detent 1 is tripped, and spring W, suddenly striking the pin (n the opposite jaw of V, drives it up with itself under detent 2, shutting instantly valve V and opening V. A rush of water now projects itself' against N, drives it down, and closes valve I on piston H, and opens valve K in piston J. Then the Water iilling chamber D forces piston H down tothe bottom ot' the cylinder. While the chamber D and cylinder F are iillin g the water which had filled chamber E and cylinder G passes through open valve K, out of valve 7, into chamber Y, and out at cock 8. Vhen by this movement tvalve O closes upon opening o, the detent 2 is tripped by the action ot' the crossbar 3 and the valve o and t again shifted, and the operation of the machine repeated in reverse. Each change of movement discharges the contents ot' the chamber and cylinder, and no more, which is registered by the movements ofthe escapement-dials at Z.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent as my invention, is-

l. A balance-valve as constructed, for the purpose described.

2. The arrangement and combination substantially in the manner and for the purpose set. forth in the above specifications ot' the following apparatus, viz: the valve-chamber P, with its valves c and c and stem T, the chamber D and E, the cylinders F and G, with their pistons H and J, connected with beam Il, the valve I and K, connected with beam M, the valve N and o, also connected with beam M 0, operating valves Iand K, the lever U, attached to valve-shaft T, the detents 1 and 2, with their pins 6 and 7, lever 3, attached to shaft of beam il, with the tripping-le\ ers 4 and 5, spring YV, operated by beam M, in order to operate lever fr, the-lever X, as connected with apparatus measuring the water,t'orming together a complete water-meter.

Witnesses: JOHN PERGY.

Riel-ID. VAI-uen DE Wrrfr, CHARLES R. LEE. 

